Helene Weber
Encyclopedia
Helene Weber was a German politician
of the Christian Democratic Union
("CDU"). She had an instrumental role in founding modern German law.
from 1897 to 1900. After several years teaching in Elberfeld she studied History
, Philosophy
and Romance Languages in Bonn
and Grenoble
. There, she joined the student union at Hilaritas. She went on to study as a School Counsellor and taught at the Lyceum in Bochum
.
She was a member of the Central Committee of the Catholic German Federation and first chair of the Association of Catholic social workers in Germany. From 1918, she was Head of the Women's Social School at Aachen. In 1920, she became Ministerialrätin ("Ministerial Advisor") in the Prussian Ministry of Welfare, where she founded the "Social Education" department. After Nazi takeover, she was dismissed for political reasons on 30 June 1933 and worked in voluntary care.
After the Second World War she took over the chair of the National Association of Catholic Welfare in Rinnen, Germany and became again vice-chairman of the Catholic Women's Federation.
In the Weimar Republic
Weber was a centrist. In 1945 she helped found the CDU. In 1948 she co-founded the Women's Association of the CDU / CSU, a predecessor of today's Women's Union. From 1951 to 1958 she was chair of the Women's Association of the CDU and CSU.
As a member of the Weimar National Assembly
in 1919-20, she was involved in the development of the Weimar Constitution
. From 1921 to 1924, she was also a Landtag deputy in Prussia. From May 1924 to 1933 she belonged to the Reichstag. In March 1933 she joined the former Reich Chancellor Heinrich Brüning
among the minority of centre MPs who opposed Hitler's Enabling Act. Ultimately, however, she bent to pressure from the Reichstag Group and agreed to the law, which was a decisive step along the road to power for the Nazis.
After the Second World War, she was nominated for both parliaments of North Rhine-Westphalia. In 1947/48 she belonged to the area council for the British occupation zone. In 1948 in the Parliamentary Council, elected to serve as one of four women in the constitution for the Federal Republic of Germany project, she became member secretary of the Bureau. She is one of the "mothers" of the Basic Law.
From 1949 until her death she was a member of the German Bundestag
representing the CDU. Her parliamentary constituency was Aachen City. In the fourth legislature Helene Weber was third oldest member of the Bundestag after Konrad Adenauer
and Robert Pferdmenges.
She persistently urged German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer that at least one of the Ministry should be headed by a woman.
In 1950, she was also a member of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe.
in 1930. In 1956 she was decorated with the Great Federal Cross of Merit, and five years later was awarded with the sash as well.
The Helene Weber Berufskolleg in Paderborn, and the Catholic Family Educational Helene-Weber-Haus in Gelsenkirchen and Fulda, are both named after her.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
of the Christian Democratic Union
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
("CDU"). She had an instrumental role in founding modern German law.
Biography
After graduating from the girls' middle school in Elberfeld, Helene Weber attended the teacher seminar in AachenAachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
from 1897 to 1900. After several years teaching in Elberfeld she studied History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and Romance Languages in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
and Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
. There, she joined the student union at Hilaritas. She went on to study as a School Counsellor and taught at the Lyceum in Bochum
Bochum
Bochum is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, western Germany. It is located in the Ruhr area and is surrounded by the cities of Essen, Gelsenkirchen, Herne, Castrop-Rauxel, Dortmund, Witten and Hattingen.-History:...
.
She was a member of the Central Committee of the Catholic German Federation and first chair of the Association of Catholic social workers in Germany. From 1918, she was Head of the Women's Social School at Aachen. In 1920, she became Ministerialrätin ("Ministerial Advisor") in the Prussian Ministry of Welfare, where she founded the "Social Education" department. After Nazi takeover, she was dismissed for political reasons on 30 June 1933 and worked in voluntary care.
After the Second World War she took over the chair of the National Association of Catholic Welfare in Rinnen, Germany and became again vice-chairman of the Catholic Women's Federation.
In the Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
Weber was a centrist. In 1945 she helped found the CDU. In 1948 she co-founded the Women's Association of the CDU / CSU, a predecessor of today's Women's Union. From 1951 to 1958 she was chair of the Women's Association of the CDU and CSU.
As a member of the Weimar National Assembly
Weimar National Assembly
The Weimar National Assembly governed Germany from February 6, 1919 to June 6, 1920 and drew up the new constitution which governed Germany from 1919 to 1933, technically remaining in effect even until the end of Nazi rule in 1945...
in 1919-20, she was involved in the development of the Weimar Constitution
Weimar constitution
The Constitution of the German Reich , usually known as the Weimar Constitution was the constitution that governed Germany during the Weimar Republic...
. From 1921 to 1924, she was also a Landtag deputy in Prussia. From May 1924 to 1933 she belonged to the Reichstag. In March 1933 she joined the former Reich Chancellor Heinrich Brüning
Heinrich Brüning
Heinrich Brüning was Chancellor of Germany from 1930 to 1932, during the Weimar Republic. He was the longest serving Chancellor of the Weimar Republic, and remains a controversial figure in German politics....
among the minority of centre MPs who opposed Hitler's Enabling Act. Ultimately, however, she bent to pressure from the Reichstag Group and agreed to the law, which was a decisive step along the road to power for the Nazis.
After the Second World War, she was nominated for both parliaments of North Rhine-Westphalia. In 1947/48 she belonged to the area council for the British occupation zone. In 1948 in the Parliamentary Council, elected to serve as one of four women in the constitution for the Federal Republic of Germany project, she became member secretary of the Bureau. She is one of the "mothers" of the Basic Law.
From 1949 until her death she was a member of the German Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
representing the CDU. Her parliamentary constituency was Aachen City. In the fourth legislature Helene Weber was third oldest member of the Bundestag after Konrad Adenauer
Konrad Adenauer
Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer was a German statesman. He was the chancellor of the West Germany from 1949 to 1963. He is widely recognised as a person who led his country from the ruins of World War II to a powerful and prosperous nation that had forged close relations with old enemies France,...
and Robert Pferdmenges.
She persistently urged German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer that at least one of the Ministry should be headed by a woman.
In 1950, she was also a member of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Honours
Helene Weber was awarded with an honorary doctorate by the National Faculty of the University of MünsterUniversity of Münster
The University of Münster is a public university located in the city of Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. The WWU is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, a society of Germany's leading research universities...
in 1930. In 1956 she was decorated with the Great Federal Cross of Merit, and five years later was awarded with the sash as well.
The Helene Weber Berufskolleg in Paderborn, and the Catholic Family Educational Helene-Weber-Haus in Gelsenkirchen and Fulda, are both named after her.
Publications
- Verständnis für die heutige Jugend (Understanding of today's youth), in: Bayerische Gemeinde- und Verwaltungszeitung, Jg. 1927, p 385.
- Der Beruf der Sozialbeamtin (The profession of social officer),, in: Hermann Geib (Hrsg.), Jahrbuch für Sozialpolitik, Leipzig 1930, p 172-177.